I totally agree. Im not fazed that Cook isnt selected yet. SO many , I feel, make the same mistake in thinking that you simply draft a kid, doll him up in a r/b guernsey and its on to the G you go. . ( many may wish to book mark this notation come referencing anything to do with draft picks too..lol ).

Id expect him to possibly start getting a gig through 013...but not a regular.

so many expect overnight magic, it just doesnt work that way. Agree with you IRW

Prediction=Leigh Williams if retained will play before Cook.

Re Cook/Fitzpatrick The argument Leigh Brown makes in regard to Cook and Fitzpatrick is that they couldnt run out a game. Why then dont they give Cook a taste by using him as a sub. By then the heats off the game and there would be great upside for his confidence and the supporters if he bagged a few.

Cook can't "bag a few" for Casey. Let him do that first.

Cook can't "bag a few" for Casey. Let him do that first.

he has kicked 4&3 in two weeks

Prediction=Leigh Williams if retained will play before Cook.

The same day Williams plays his 200th game is the same day Cook tips the scales at 90kg.

How is it that when Carlton has a bad run of injuries then the football world blames their plight on their bad run of injuries Carlton hit by worst injury crisis in a decade but when Melbourne has a bad run of injuries, their problems are due to everything but the injuries?

How is it that when Carlton has a bad run of injuries then the football world blames their plight on their bad run of injuries Carlton hit by worst injury crisis in a decade but when Melbourne has a bad run of injuries, their problems are due to everything but the injuries?

As i have posted before injuries, particularly who they are to, is key to a teams capacity to play to potential and win games. Again as i have said before it is an issue that seems to be constantly downplayed in terms of its importance. The dees have, by any measure, had a terrible run with injuries this year (and not great last year) and this needs to be factored into any objective analysis of our performance this year.

How is it that when Carlton has a bad run of injuries then the football world blames their plight on their bad run of injuries Carlton hit by worst injury crisis in a decade but when Melbourne has a bad run of injuries, their problems are due to everything but the injuries?

May be because we were crap before the injuries!

How is it that when Carlton has a bad run of injuries then the football world blames their plight on their bad run of injuries Carlton hit by worst injury crisis in a decade but when Melbourne has a bad run of injuries, their problems are due to everything but the injuries?

50 shades of crap.

he has kicked 4&3 in two weeks

Some time ago on a different thread (it's lost because I dared start my own when Hell's Gates thought he was running the show, and who knows he might be but he had lost his uppers that day and consigned my wisdom to the scrap heap) that Cook should debut against Gold Coast NEXT WEEK.

We then have GWS two weeks later with the Saints in between. He could get three games, two against kids not that much different from himself, to get a taste of it.

He has put on some size and he has shown a bit of form but I am not losing sleep over his non-appearance. He is hardly going to be a world beater this year or next. If we're lucky in 2014 he'll show his stuff and we can forget Jack Darling could have been ours.

Some time ago on a different thread (it's lost because I dared start my own when Hell's Gates thought he was running the show, and who knows he might be but he had lost his uppers that day and consigned my wisdom to the scrap heap) that Cook should debut against Gold Coast NEXT WEEK.

We then have GWS two weeks later with the Saints in between. He could get three games, two against kids not that much different from himself, to get a taste of it.

He has put on some size and he has shown a bit of form but I am not losing sleep over his non-appearance. He is hardly going to be a world beater this year or next. If we're lucky in 2014 he'll show his stuff and we can forget Jack Darling could have been ours.

Pitmaster I doubt I ever will

Some time ago on a different thread (it's lost because I dared start my own when Hell's Gates thought he was running the show, and who knows he might be but he had lost his uppers that day and consigned my wisdom to the scrap heap) that Cook should debut against Gold Coast NEXT WEEK.

We then have GWS two weeks later with the Saints in between. He could get three games, two against kids not that much different from himself, to get a taste of it.

He has put on some size and he has shown a bit of form but I am not losing sleep over his non-appearance. He is hardly going to be a world beater this year or next. If we're lucky in 2014 he'll show his stuff and we can forget Jack Darling could have been ours.

He might debut the same week Darling plays his hundredth. Or not.

I'd expect him to get a game, if and when he's good enough and I have no problem with players doing their apprenticeship in the magoos, but in this day and age there is no room on the list for players that may take 5 years to come good, they call them list cloggers, the lists are too small and the pressure to succeed is too great.

Hawthorn's Tuck, played well over 100 games in the reserves before he became a regular but the number on the list then was probably over 50 and there was a dedicated seconds side, we don't have that now and most players get about 3 to 4 years to make it or they are cut.

Not quite Robbie - 50 Ressie games and 426 Senior games

Interestingly started as a full forward being an understudy to the great Peter Hudson

20 seasons in all retiring at 38 years 95 days

Not quite Robbie - 50 Ressie games and 426 Senior games

Interestingly started as a full forward being an understudy to the great Peter Hudson

20 seasons in all retiring at 38 years 95 days

Wasted everybodies time.